University Fast Links Academic Affairs Academic Calendar Academic Community Engagement (ACE) Academic Planning and Assessment Accepted Students Admissions (Undergraduate) Admissions (Graduate) Admission Requirements Analytical Laboratory Advising (Medical/Dental Related) Advising (SAM Center) Agricultural Sciences and Engineering Technology Alumni Association Alcohol and Drug Abuse Initiative Army ROTC - Military Science Athletics Banner Banking Bearkat Camp Bearkat Express Payment Bearkat Marching Band Bearkat OneCard Bearkat Transfer Scholarship Blackboard Blinn College Transfers Bookstore Books & Supplies Budget Office Bursar's Office Business Administration Calendars Campus Map Career Services Catalogs Class Schedule Computer Account Creation Computer Labs Continuing Education Controller's Office Correspondence Course Division Counseling Center Criminal Justice Current Students Dean of Students' Office Departments Department of Dance Dining Services Directory Education Educator Preparation Services Emergency Management Employment Opportunities English Language Institute Enrollment Management Environmental, Health and Safety Office Exchange Mail Facilites Management Facilities Space Management Faculty Senate Faculty/Staff Directory Final Exam Schedule Finance and Operations Financial Aid Fine Arts and Mass Communication First-Year Experience General Information Graduate Studies Great Names Health Sciences Honors College Homecoming Human Resources Humanities and Social Sciences IT@Sam IT@Sam Service Desk Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) Institutional Effectiveness Internal Grant Program Institutional Review Board (IRB) International Programs Joint Admission Students KatFacts Library (NGL) Lone Star College Transfers Lowman Student Center Map - Campus Marketing & Communications Math CAMP Medical & Allied Health Programs McNair Program Military Science Mobile Go Center Music Music Choir News Nursing Office of Business Services Office of the President Online Information Request Organization Chart Orientation - New Student PACE Parent Relations Office Parking Payroll Office Procurement and Business Services Procurement Opportunities Project Connect Property Prospective Students Public Safety Quality Enhancement Plan Reading Center Recreational Sports Registration Registrar's Office Research and Sponsored Programs Residence Life Risk Management Sam Shuttle SACS Reaffirmation Sam Houston Memorial Museum SamMenu (Download) SamWeb Sciences Services for Students with Disabilities Schedule of Classes Scholarships SHSU Marketplace Spirit Programs Staff Council Student Activities Student Government Association Student Health Center Student Legal Services Student Money Management Center Student Services Student Services Calendar Summer Camps Technology Tutorials Testing Center Theatre and Dance Today@Sam Tour the University Transcripts Transfer Equivalency Guide Transfer Students TRIES University Advancement University Center University Hotel University Park - Northwest Houston Campus University Police Department Veterans Visitor & Alumni Center The Woodlands Center Writing Center

 

Egyptian Journalist To Present Debut Lecture For New Center

Oct. 24, 2012
SHSU Media Contact: Jennifer Gauntt

 

Shahira Amin, an independent journalist and activist in Egypt, will share with the Bearkat and Huntsville communities her experiences and thoughts about the dramatic changes that are currently taking place in the Middle East and North Africa on Monday (Oct 29).

The lecture, hosted by Sam Houston State University’s new Global Center for Journalism and Democracy, will begin at 6 p.m. in the James and Nancy Gaertner Performing Arts Center Concert Hall.

Kelli Arena, executive director for the GCJD and Dan Rather Endowed Chair of Journalism at SHSU, said Amin perfectly represents the center’s purpose as a woman who is “truly representative of the many brave people in Egypt who have fought for democracy and freedom of the press.” The GCJD was established this semester to provide resources, on the ground training, and online courses to journalists all over the world.

Amin, who currently writes for Egypt’s Index on Censorship, Daily News Egypt and Ria Novosti, was deputy head of the state-owned Nile TV and a lead anchor/correspondent but quit during last year's mass uprising in protest at her station's coverage of the demonstrations in Tahrir Square.

“Shahira started reporting on the Arab Spring but the government didn’t like what she had to say. She was committed to telling the truth and very publicly walked out. That in itself was a dangerous act of defiance,” Arena said.

“(Then) when the women were protesting in the streets, the military began performing virginity tests,” Arena said. “The government said it was to protect the military against accusations of rape. It was a signal to these women to know their place and get the hell home; to not dare think they were going to be empowered, that they are going to have a voice. They were trying to intimidate them.

“Shahira goes out and breaks the story,” Arena continued. “She’s had a bulls-eye painted on her for a while, but she refuses to stop speaking out.”

Amin’s work garnered recognition by numerous international agencies, and she has received such awards as the 2011 Homes of the Year Award from Goteburg University in Sweden, the Juan Anguita Award from Cordoba University in Spain, and the Catalyst For Change Award from the American University in Cairo. Amin has also been recognized by UNICEF (2009) for her efforts to improve the status of women and children and by the National Council for Childhood in her native Egypt for "helping bring into effect the law criminalizing female genital mutilation” (2008). Amin is also a longtime contributor to CNNI, reporting from Cairo and other North African capitals for Inside Africa.

Arena said she feels students and the community could benefit from hearing from someone who has such an intimate knowledge of what’s going on in Egypt and the region as the revolution there continues.

“Egypt is a really important strategic partner with the United States. We are witnessing a tremendous shift in power in the region and we, as Americans, have to care about this because it has everything to do with democracy and foreign policy,” she said. “We are interested in seeing democracy flourish, but democracy is messy; it takes a long time for it to take hold. A lot of people don’t really understand that, and we should.”

The danger journalists such as Amin are placing themselves in by speaking out is something that people in America may be surprised to learn about but should definitely be aware of, according to Arena.

“It’s easy to sit in New York or Washington and write about what you think should be happening in Egypt, but she’s not speaking out from outside the country like a lot of people are,” Arena said. “Shahira is in Egypt, she is very vulnerable; she’s right in the pit and she just refuses to be silent.

“I think that is, for our center, exactly the kind of courage we want to promote that is displayed by journalists around the world. People just don’t understand that every day journalists risk their lives to bring truth to others,” she continued. “The center is committed to bringing those brave people the resources and training to do their jobs better. Shahira is a perfect pick for our first speaker, she’s very powerful.”

While in Huntsville, Amin will tour one of the prison facilities, conduct a taped interview with Arena that will be broadcast on Cable Channel 7 and will answer questions from global media classes at SHSU.

Her presentation that evening is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Arena at kac044@shsu.edu.

 

 

- END -

 

 

This page maintained by SHSU's Communications Office
Associate Director: Julia May
Manager: Jennifer Gauntt
Located in the 115 Administration Building
Telephone: 936.294.1836; Fax: 936.294.1834

Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu.